In Venezuela, Samuel Vilchez Santiago’s parents were political activists prosecuted by the government in part for their work registering voters.

So the 21-year-old Princeton University student and Colonial High School alumnus knows all too well the importance of voting.

“It was really sad when I turned 16 in high school and not many of my friends knew about the opportunity voting brings to their communities,” Santiago said Tuesday. “Many people back home in Venezuela had died to give people the right to vote.”

He was at Ana G. Mendez University for the kickoff of UnidosUS’s “Power of 18” nonpartisanvoter registration drive, aimed at registering 50,000 new voters in Florida by October and 100,000 nationwide.

UnidosUS, formerly known as La Raza, is the largest Hispanic advocacy group in the nation and has previously conducted registration drives out of its Orlando and South Florida offices in 2016.

This year, though, the focus is on young would-be voters, with about 880,000 Hispanic U.S. citizens turning 18 every year, according to UnidosUS. By 2024, that number will be 1 million.

The thousands who fled Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, include 17-year-old Derick Ortiz, a Colonial High student, also have increased the number of eligible voters in Florida. Puerto Ricans, as U.S. citizens, can register to vote immediately.

“I vowed I needed to educate myself with what the voting rights are here in the U.S.,” Derick said. “I am not registered to vote, but I’ve already [applied] so when I turn 18, I am a voter. Voting is an expression, it’s your voice. And when your voice is heard, change happens.”

Santiago said he was part of the first voter drive at Colonial High when he was a student there several years ago, which registered 549 students.

“And that’s exactly what UnidosUS is giving,” he said. “It’s giving them this opportunity to register, then get educated, then make their decisions by themselves.’’

Canvassers, 10 in Orlando and 20 in Miami for the time being, have gone to locations throughout Central Florida to talk to potential voters and register them.

“[U.S. Highway] 192 is a really good area,” said Elsa Ascaneon, a canvassing leader, referring to the tourist strip of Osceola County. “The best places are restaurants, but everything can be a good place. It just depends on the day and time. Restaurants are good around lunch and dinnertime, and supermarkets more in the morning and evening.”

The canvassers are trained to watch out for fraud and spot mistakes, quality control manager Arianny Eduardo said, One of the most common errors is people mistaking the “county” box for “country.”

University campus director Carlos Lopez cautioned that registering is one thing, but turnout is most important.

“A lot of people register, but come election day they don’t vote,” he said. “We can’t stop this campaign until the last day. Vote for who you want — it’s nonpartisan — but go out and vote.”

To stress the nonpartisan nature of the voter drive, both Democratic state Rep. Amy Mercado and Republican state Rep. Rene Plasencia spoke at the kickoff, with Plasencia stressing how important voting should be for young people.

“Often times, young people don’t think anything they do has an impact in their present life,” he said before the event. “What I did as a teacher, and what I continue to do when I’m talking to the community, is show them how voting affects their day-to-day lives.”

While the focus of many voters is on presidential politics, “the majority of decisions that impact their everyday lives are made where they live,” Plasencia said. “County commission, school board, state Legislature and government officials.”

Mercado touched on what has been a major issue with the Hispanic voting population in Florida, the tendency to register as unaffiliated and not with a major party. While it allows a measure of independence, she said it locks many Hispanics out of important party primaries.

“They can’t tell you this because they’re a nonprofit … but it is very important to understand this nation, this state still functions on a two-party system,” Mercado said. “If you do not choose a party, that is definitely your choice, but it’s also going to restrict the people you see on your ballot. … A good number of the people making decisions for you, especially on a local level, are taken care of by August.”

For more information on the registration campaign, visit powerof18.com. slemongello@orlandosentinel.com, 407-418-5920 or @stevelemongello

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